Arts and graft

Welcome to the Backbencher, Guardian Unlimited's weekly insider's guide to Westminster. This week: the ICA gets a new boss, David Blunkett decides honesty is the best policy and New Labour is true to its code

The news that Ekow Eshun has been appointed the new head of the Institute of Contemporary Arts should cause a stir in the department of education, if rumours are to be believed. Normally one to avoid the tittle-tattle that goes on in the ladies' room in Portcullis House, the Backbencher could not help but overhear that the former style magazine editor (and most boring pundit ever to appear on Late Review) was once an admirer of the education secretary. And we thought Opus Dei frowned on that sort of thing.

>>>SWORDSMAN OF TRUTH

For all those of us who are worried about rising apathy and cynicism, it is a relief someone is speaking up for honesty in politics.

David Blunkett - for it is he - has called on his fellow politicians to tell the truth during the coming general election campaign. "This means being honest in answering questions and presenting facts, listening to the issues that concern people, and responding to them in making policy and drawing up the manifesto," he instructs. And who could disagree?

But one things troubles the Backbencher: is this the same former home secretary who denied helping his lover's nanny with a visa application? She only asks as she seems to remember the inquiry into the allegations unearthing an exchange of emails between his office and the immigration department. "Sorted," came the reply. "She has been granted [indefinite leave to remain] - papers will be sent to her shortly ... (no special favours, only what they would normally do - but a bit quicker)."

Thank goodness he left office without a stain on his character.

>>>ENIGMA VARIATIONS

Still confused about David Blunkett's political demise? The Backbencher suggests you take a look at the New Labour Code

Any resemblance to Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code is purely coincidental.

>>>TOME FOR A CHANGE

While on the subject of bestsellers, while browsing in Commons library the Backbencher was surprised to find that the copy of Tony Blair's New Britain: My Vision of a Young Country has only been taken out once since it came out in 1996. Why the neglect? Could the answer lie in its promise to bring "an end to hereditary peers sitting in the House of Lords as the first step to a properly directly elected second chamber"? Perhaps MPs have been looking under F for fiction.

>>>LOVE ON THE CELTIC FRINGES

Little did the Backbencher realise when she started celebrating the best in political hotties that she would be bringing love into the hearts of lonely Liberal Democrats. But it seems she is not alone in finding Jeremy Purvis rather dreamy. Francesca Montemaggi, for one, agrees, having had her employer, Welsh assembly member Peter Black, point out that he is the "man of her dreams". She even refutes the Backbencher's suggestion that Mr Purvis's passion for fiscal federalism is a bit of a turnoff. "That's what makes him attractive," she writes on her weblog, Paswonky.

"Jeremy is young, good-looking and into numbers. A trip to Scotland is badly needed :)" Get on that plane, Francesca - but let the Backbencher know how it goes.

>>>POLITICAL HOTTIES: LATEST

With the election getting closer the Backbencher has decided to cast her eye over the parties' prospective parliamentary candidates. Always a fan of a military man, she is pleased to see that the Liberal Democrats have at last found somebody suitably outdoorsy to replace Paddy Ashdown on the yellow benches. That action man is Jeremy Brown, the party's candidate in Taunton. He even has a picture of himself with the much-missed Mr Ashdown, to make comparison easier.

Left unmoved by the Backbencher's taste? Email your suggestions for political totty of the week, or anything else you feel she needs to know, to backbencher@guardianunlimited.co.uk

>>> FROM WESTMINSTER

The Backbencher spoke to the Guardian's political editor, Michael White, after today's session of prime minister's questions, and asked him what looks likely to happen in tonight's debate on the government's anti-terrorism plans.

" This was one of the last prime minister's questions before the coming general election - and boy, could you tell the difference as the volume rose on both sides. Michael Howard and Tony Blair both had strong partisan interventions from their backbenchers today .

The drama culminated in a very powerful attack by Mr Howard, who said: I've come to the conclusion that this prime minister wants this bill to fail. He wants to pretend he is the only one who is tough on terrorism.

Mr Howard went on to say that this was a desperate action of a desperate prime minister who should be ashamed of himself. There was an enormous roar from the Tories. It was a good oratorical flourish from Mr Howard.

Mr Blair, rather quiet - a bit shaken, perhaps - said that this was not so and that, as he had said several times before, he was acting on the advice of most of the police and most of the security services. (He admits there is divided opinion.)

It was very much a Blair point: that if there is a dreadful outrage, the talk will not be of civil liberties; it will be of what the government failed to do. That fear obviously haunts ministers as a general election approaches because they remember what happened in Madrid just a year ago tomorrow. So Mr Blair said the government was content that the ultimate verdict would be the verdict of the country.

Will Charles Clarke's concessions be enough? It's very hard to tell. Mr Clarke thinks that the Liberal Democrats' Mark Oaten would like a deal, though his party may make it hard for him to get one. Some of the Tories also would like a deal. My instinct at the moment is that Mr Clarke has not quite done enough - but we've got several hours to go yet.

>>> LAST WEEK'S COMPETITION

Sarah Catlin is the winner of Off With Their Wigs! Judicial Revolution in Modern Britain, having correctly counted six former presidents of the NUS sitting on the benches in the House of Commons. Honourable mention must also go, however, to Paul Watson, who wrote in to say there were "too many", whatever the number.

"Anyone who headed up a body of obsessives and social misfits like the NUS should be treated with caution," he added. Who could disagree?

>>> THIS WEEK'S COMPETITION

Again in tribute to Charles Clarke's continued efforts to send people to their bedrooms without trial, the Backbencher's prize this week is David Rose's Guantánamo: America's War on Human Rights, courtesy of Faber & Faber.

To win it, email backbencher@guardianunlimited.co.uk with the names of the lucky members of the 2001 intake of Labour MPs to have got a government job. Please don't forget to include your name.

>>> FORTHCOMING EVENTS

MARCH 10, Midday: Promoting Democracy The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, lectures at the Fabian Society reacting to to recent events in the Middle East For more info contact Jessica Studdert 0207 227 4902/ jessica.studdert@fabian-society.org.uk

MARCH 18, 1-2pm, Old Theatre, LSE: The 21st Century will be Europe's Century Roger Liddle chairs Mark Leonard, Philip Bobbit and Lord Charles Powell in a debate hosted jointly by the Centre for European Reform, the Fabian Society, the Foreign Policy Centre and LSE. More info: http://www.lse.ac.uk/events or 020 7955 6100

>>> TV & RADIO

TONIGHT, 9am, BBC1: Prison Undercover A reporter discovers alcohol and drug abuse in a covert operation at a private prison.

TOMORROW, 7pm, Five: Talk to Michael Howard The Tory leader brings up the rear in the latest 'meet the audience' show with the main party chiefs.

TOMORROW, 9pm, Channel 4: Immigration Is A Time Bomb Rod Liddle examines the 'social problems' he believes will result from current policy.